Biology

Physiology

Bayleef resembles a pale yellow sauropod dinosaur or a lizard. It has curled leaf-like growths, stated to be buds with small tree shoots inside, sprouting in a ring around its neck. A large leaf shaped like a scythe protrudes from its head. It has red eyes, and has one large toenail on each of its four feet. It also has a small tail.

Gender differences

None.

Special abilities

The aroma wafting from the leaf-like growths around its neck has a spicy, very sharp, distinctive scent, and all nearby Pokémon who inhale it become excited and want to fight. The scent energizes those who smell it, so much that they may even become aggressive.

Behavior

Bayleef are calmer than their previous stage, Chikorita. However, the scent that wafts from their leaves serves to make people excited and can cause them to want to fight.

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

In Pokémon Adventures, Crystal's Chikorita evolves into a Bayleef while defending his Trainer against an attack from an old foe, an impish wild Larvitar. Although it had been such a short while since it had evolved that it didn't know how to restrain the Sweet Scent it gave around it (causing wild Lickitung to gather around it), it evolved with its fellow (and newly reawakened) starter Pokémon in the fight against Lugia in the Whirl Islands.

Trivia

Bayleef is the tallest of the second-stage evolutions of starter Pokémon.

Bayleef's "necklace" is consistently described as having a spicy aroma, while real bay leaves have a bitter and herbal taste, which is similar to thyme.

Origin

Bayleef is based on a group of dinosaurs called sauropods, specifically the apatosaurus. Its vegetable part is based on the leaves of the bay laurel, which oil is used for healing and as a stimulant in aromatheraphy.